Vacuum packaging of food products



R. A. MAHAF FY i VACUUM PACKAGING OF FOOD PRODUCTS Aug. 2, 1955 Filed Feb.

United States Patent O M VACUUM PACKAGING OF FOOD PRODUCTS Reid A. Mahaffy, Cedar Grove, N. J., assignor to Standard Packaging Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Application February 17, 1954, Serial No. 410,923

4 Claims. (Cl. 99-174) This invention relates to improvements in flexible bagtype containers, and more particularly to iiexible con tainers for the packaging of perishable products hermetically and/ or sanitarily sealed therein.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a flexible bag-type container of the character wherein its body is constructed with a plurality of compartments, the arrangement of which enables perishable food products, or commodities of like or unlike species, to be separated from each other when packaged therein, thus allowing the use of said substances, or articles, in one compartment Without disturbing said substances, or articles, remaining within the other compartment, or compartments, of the flexible bag-type container.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved container formed of flexible sheet material, said container having a plurality of compartments disposed in adjacent side by side relation, each of said compartments comprising inner and outer walls integral with each at its peripheral edge portions, the material of the outer side walls of said container being formed of flexible nonthermoplastic sheet material having an inner film of thermoplastic material secured thereto, the material of the dividing wall between each compartment being formed of exible thermoplastic air and moisture-proof sheet material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a iiexible container of said character having a plurality of compartments for the packaging of thinly sliced bacon which is extremely diflicult to handle, or package attractively, and more particularly to a vacuum-packed bacon package, whereby the bacon packaged in one compartment can be dispensed without disturbing the bacon, or said vacuum, in any of the other compartments provided in said container.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container of the above character whose Walls are formed of thin, flexible material such as cellophane combined with polyethylene, or Plioiilm, or the like, having a plurality of compartments receptive to commodities including articles, comminuted material, or any substance having fluidity, the quantities of the same being completely separate and individually usable without affecting others contained in all, or any, of the other compartments, the compartments being closed independently of each other so that the opening of one will not aifect the opening of the other.

`A still further object of the invention is the provision of a container of the above character whose walls are formed of thin, exible, material and having a plurality of compartments which are particularly suited to a singledosage, single-use, quick-opening type unit compartment, the desired compartment to be opened without disturbing the other compartments, whereby the contents may be dispensed from a compartment With great ease and rapidity; this type container being especially adaptable for use with vacuum-packed liquids, jellies, creams, pastes, semi- 2,714,557 Patented Aug. 2, 1955 uids, semi-solids, solids in tablet or subdivided form, powders, suspensions, emulsions, etc.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a flexible, two-compartment bag having a transparent portion, the outer walls of said bag being formed of nonplastic cellophane and having inner walls of plastic polyethylene secured thereto, each compartment hermetically sealed from the other which would permit each compartment to embody a suitable product vacuum and/or gas-packaged therein, either compartment to be opened while retaining functional integrity of the other compartment to a limited degree.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a exible, two-compartment evacuated bag having the external walls made of non-thermoplastic material such as cellophane and having an inner film of thermoplastic polyethylene secured thereto and a single film of thermoplastic polyethylene arranged as the center wall panel, thereby forming said two-compartment structure; said compartments being sealed to render each airtight while the same are in evacuated condition and/or lled with inert gas, said single center polyethylene wall panel permitting retention of vacuum in the unopened half for a limited period of time after one compartment is opened.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a flexible, evacuated two-compartment bag having its external walls made of non-thermoplastic material such as cellophane and having an inner film of thermoplastic polyethylene and a center wall panel made from cellophane having a lilm of polyethylene attached to both sides thereof, whereby the heat-sealing properties of the material would be maintained and the full functional compartment integrity would be maintained after one compartment is opened to the atmosphere.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a flexible container of this character having a plurality of compartments whose walls are formed of polyethylenecoated cellophane, said container being easy and economical to produce, simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and effective for the purposes intended thereof, being strong, durable, convenient for use by distributors of hermetically sealed commodities and to the consumers of same, assuring freshness to the packaged materials, eliminating deterioration of the commodities when packaged.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a container formed of flexible sheet material having a plurality of article compartments, the walls being formed by an extrusion-coated process depositing a iilm of polyethylene upon cellophane, thus eliminating the use of any laminating agent, thereby giving exceptional clarity. Said polyethylene thus combined with cellophane has the rigidity necessary for eflicient machinability which unsupported polyethylene lm lacks. Said cellophane can be pre-printed for greater permanence on the side to be coated prior to coating, and said cellophane further acts as a barrier to prevent sticking to the jaws of the heating bars, and the polyethylene surface, of course, provides excellent heat seals.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved method of making flexible bags having a plurality of compartments as aforesaid.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred and modiiied forms of embodiment of the invention, and pointed out .in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side view of a exible bag-type container provided with a partition;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the container shown in Figure l, with the top portion open ready for filling;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1; Y

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3, of a modified type of container;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of Figure 3, showing the sealing thereof in accordance with the invention;

Figure 6 is an enlarged View of the lower portion of Figure 4, showing the sealing thereof in accordance with the invention incorporating the modified type container.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the container shown by Figures 1 and 3, with one compartment still filled with a commodity while the contents of the second compartment have been removed by rupturing the side wall thereof;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a container similar to the one shown by Figures 1 and 3, showing bacon arranged in shingled relation within the compartments of the container and vacuum and/or gas-packaged therein;

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of Figure 8, showing the sealing thereof in accordance with the primary object of the invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly Figures l, 2, 3 and 5, A designates generally a container constructed in accordance with the invention, comprising a flexible body 10, preferably made from a sheet of cellophane 11, or any other material giving maximum life thereto, having polyethylene 12 extruded to the inner surface thereof. This body has side walls 13 and 14 with side seams 15 and 16, a bottom portion 7 with closed seam 18 and a closable top portion 19. After the container is filled, said portion 19 is closed, and, when sealed, forms a top seam 20. Said body seams 15, 16, 18 and 20 are united and preferably formed by heat and pressure.

Built interiorly of the body 10 is a partition, or dividing wall, 22 for separating ther interior of the body into a determined number of compartments 24 and 25 for separating contents of these respective compartments from each other in the packaging thereof within the container; said compartments may be of equal or unequal capacity with respect to each other, It is desirable to form said dividing wall 22 of a heat-sealing material, such as polyethylene or Pliofilm, or a flexible material, such as cellophane, coated on both sides with said heat-sealing material.

Figures 4 and 6 show a container somewhat different in construction which may be used for the same purpose. Here, the center partition is formed of cellophane having films 31 and 32 of polyethylene extruded upon both sides thereof; the side walls being one strip and folded upon itself forming bottom seam.

Figure 7 shows the same container A as shown in Figures 1 and 3, with its side wall 14 ruptured and contents of compartment 2S removed therefrom. The compartment 24 is shown filled with suitable and desirable contents 33, showing how the contents in compartment 25 may be removed without disturbing the contents of the other compartment 24, or other compartments where the container A is provided with a multiple number of compartments.

Figures 8 and 9 show the structural components of a container B similar in construction to container A, having bacon slices 35 arranged therein so that they will be visible for inspection through the side walls 36 and 37 formed of sheet cellophane 11 having an inner coating of polyethylene 12 secured thereto; said container B having a partition 22 formed of plastic, heat-scalable material polyethylene 22, thereby providing a container with two individual compartments 40 and 41. The bacon slices are arranged in the shingle formation illustrated CII and introduced into each one of the compartments 40 and 41. After the bacon slices have been placed within both of the compartments of container B with closed lower end portion 44 and bottom seam 45, the open top end of the container is connected with a suitable source of vacuum to extract the air from within. The upper ends of the side walls 46 and 47, along with the upper end 4S, of partition 43 are heat-sealed together to form a top seam 49 and two separate vacuum-sealed bacon compartments within one container. The subjection of the container to vacuum results in the walls of the container forming a sharp stepped arrangement about the edge of the bacon slices and against the bacon slice edges, the vacuum and liexible walls giving a ribbing effect, producing a substantially transparent container with a plurality of compartments. When it is desired to open the package to use the bacon therein, one side wall may be ruptured and torn away, and the desired slices withdrawn from the one compartment of the container without affecting the degree of vacuum in the adjacent compartment separated by partition 43.

It will be understood that the described container may be formed in any desired manner. In the specific illustration given in Figure 2, the front of the container, the partition of the container and the back of the container are left substantially transparent and arranged adjacent each other, whereby the side and bottom seams may be formed by heat and pressure, leaving the top portion of the container open.

The method of forming containers, as above described, can be easily and economically accomplished by having rolls of stock arranged whereby the material forming the partition of the container may be fed between two layers of container wall material, thereafter having heat and pressure applied thereto along one marginal edge thereof forming the bottom seam of future individual containers, said individual containers being formed by sealing said layers of material inwardly along said marginal edges and later separating the continuously formed containers by cutting inwardly of said edges upon sealed areas.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and efficiently be obtained and since certain changes in carrying out the above process, and certain modifications in the article which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of forming a vacuum package of perishable food products which comprises, adhering a polyethylene coating to a cellophane film, making two exterior walls of said coated film with a poly-ethylene coating on the interior walls thereof, arranging a sheet of polyethylene film between said exterior walls and coextensive with each, sealing the lower and side edges with heat and pressure to form a two-compartment container, placing like perishable food products in said compartments, evacuating said compartments, and sealing the previously unsealed top edges with heat and pressure while preventing reentrance of atmospheric air, thereby forming two sealed compartments.

2. The method of forming a vacuum package of perishable food products which comprises, adhering a polyethylene coating to a cellophane film making two exterior walls of said coated film with a poly-ethylene coating on the interior walls thereof, arranging a sheet of cellophane having polyethylene coatingv on each side thereof between said exterior Walls and coextensive with each, sealingthe lower and side edges with heat and pressure to form a two-compartment container, placing like perishable food products in Said compartments, evacuating said compartments, and sealing the previously unsealed top edges with heat and pressure while preventing reentrance of atmospheric air, thereby forming two sealed compartments.

3. The method of forming a vacuum package containing thinly sliced bacon, which comprises, adhering a polyethylene coating to a cellophane lilm making two exterior walls of said coated ilm with a poly-ethylene coating on the interior walls thereof, arranging a sheet of polyethylene lm between said exterior walls and coextensive with each, sealing the lower and side edges with heat and pressure to form a two-compartment container, placing thinly sliced bacon in said compartments, evacuating said compartments, and sealing the previously unsealed top edges with heat and pressure while preventing reentrance of atmospheric air, thereby forming two sealed compartments.

4. The method of forming a vacuum package containing thinly sliced bacon, which comprises, adhering a polyethylene coating to a cellophane film making two exterior l walls of said coated tlm with a poly-ethylene coating on the interior walls thereof, arranging a sheet of cellophane having poly-ethylene coating on each side thereof be- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,350,132 Rohdin May 30, 1944 2,401,110 Rohdin May 28, 1946 2,462,331 Myers Feb. 22, 1949 2,596,514 Uehlein May 13, 1952 2,621,129 Rarnsbottom et al Dec. 9, 1952 2,628,013 Vogt Feb. 10, 1953 2,643,049 Bartelt June 23, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Food Engineering, June 1951, page 109.

Food Engineering, August 1953, page 143.

The Manufacturing Confectioner, October page 41.

Food Engineering, December 1953, page 139. 

1. THE METHOD OF FORMING A VACUUM PACKAGE OF PERISHABLE FOOD PRODUCTS WHICH COMPRISES, ADHERING A POLYETHYLENE COATING TO A CELLOPHANE FILM, MAKING TWO EXTERIOR WALLS OF SAID COATED FILM WITH A POLY-ETHYLENE COATING ON THE INTERIOR WALLS THEREOF, ARRANGING A SHEET OF POLYETHYLENE FILM BETWEEN SAID EXTERIOR WALLS AND COEXTENSIVE WITH EACH, SEALING THE LOWER AND SIDE EDGES WITH HEAT AND PRESSURE TO FORM A TWO-COMPARTMENT CONTAINER, PLACING LIKE PERISHABLE FOOD PRODUCTS IN SAID COMPARTMENTS, EVACUATING SAID COMPARTMENTS, AND SEALING THE PREVIOUSLY UNSEALED TOP EDGES WITH HEAT AND PRESSURE WHILE PREVENTING REENTRANE OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR, THEREBY FORMING TWO SEALED COMPARTMENTS. 